“UNCHOPPING A TREE”

“UNCHOPPING A TREE”

Is unchopping a tree possible? What does this essay suggest about conservation and against deforestation?

              The essay “Unchopping a Tree” is a persuasive discourse written by an American writer W.S. Merwin, It is typical of giving directions with the use of imperative form of the verb for the most part. However at the level of meaning and action, it ceases to be directive. Since the task directed in the essay is impossible, it is assumed to have a different meaning and message which is hidden.

              The essay begins with the direction for unchopping a tree which implies the process of reversing the action of “chopping” a tree. Once can see the impossibility of the tack. Also the essay indicates the unpleasant consequences of our unwise chopping of trees. Unchopping a tree involves reassembling the leaves, twigs broken nests and eggs in their original order and restoring everything their respective places. It is Herculean task for which one may be obliged to use tackle and scaffolding. Despite the completion of the work, one can hardly believe that it will hold against the first breeze and the motion of the clouds. Thus it is an obvious fact that what is chopped is chopped forever. It also implies that reconstruction is not an easy task as the destruction.

              Once a tree is felled, it is done forever, No man on earth can reassemble it in the same place with the same surroundings including the broken eggs, nests etc. hence conservation is the only solution. It saves us from the drudgery of restoring the trees to their former position. Impossibility of the task indicates the necessary of conserving the trees. The present essay makes it clear the act of chopping a tree is not an individual act anymore.

              It is connected with an ecosystem and therefore upsets the balance of nature. For instance, chopping of a tree instantly shows its consequences in the destruction of its surroundings, nest, eggs etc. disappearance of shade, cool wind and the melody of the birds are another result of the act. Hence conservation of the forest is nothing but the preservation of the nature and environment.

              Deforestation is not only the destruction of the vegetation and wild-life but also the end of the healthy environment. Hence to preserve the trees is equivalent to preserve the self in the healthy atmosphere. Hence it is our duty to bring the harmony in our surroundings. It can be done only when the members of the society move ahead with the determination of keeping things whole like the poet Mark Strand.

KEEPING THINGS WHOLE

KEEPING THINGS WHOLE

              "Keeping Things Whole" is a modern poem written by a Canadian – born poet, Mark Strand. It is a poem composed as a defense of nature conservation. The poem pleads for wholeness against the usual fragmentation that goes on in life. Owing to the minimalist style, the poem appears to be packed with meaning that conveys the message for taking step to end the fragmentation in nature.

              By using simple expressions, the poet manages to include the complex knowledge of ecosystem. Hence the poem begins with the expression that he is the "absence of field in a field" and wherever he is, he is "what is missing". This ambiguous expression makes the readers feel that the speaker has objectified himself into those aspects of nature, which are missing. It denotes his consciousness about the missing elements of nature. It also implies that nature around is not complete because one thing or other is found missing in it.

              In the second stanza, he views himself as the link that makes the movement of the air complete and harmonious. So he admits that he keeps on walking ahead without ever stopping so that the air fills the spaces that have been left by his body. It demonstrates the determination of the speaker to keep things whole and also his sensitive way of thinking about eh fragmentation. The speaker seems to suggest through this stanza that one should be conscious about the delicate aspects of the nature and act in a way that helps (in) the balance of nature.

              In the third stanza, the poet makes his intention clear. He points out that he moves around to keep things whole unlike the people who mover about for different reason. By making the distinction between his movement and others, he seems to suggest that the people should think more about the importance of preserving the nature so that is can be whole and harmonious.

CONCRETE CAT

“CONCRETE CAT”

- By Dorothy Charles

The poem “Concrete Cat” is the best example of “Concrete Cat” in which the poet uses the words as the visual things. Such a poem is devoid of emotions and ideas. In the present poem, the poet has depicted the picture of a cat in a action by shaping the words such as ‘ear’, ‘eye’, ‘mouth’, ‘tail’, ‘whisker’, etc. in the visible form. While going through this poem, the readers are made to feel that the poet has worked like the one who makes the concrete doll of a cat by assembling the readymade components such as ‘tail’, ‘stripe’ etc. into the form of a cat.

              In order to create the exact shape of ‘eye’, ‘mouth’ and ‘tail’ etc the poet used the words in a way that resembles the exact appearance of these things. This required the poet to capitalize ‘A’ in ‘ear’ and ‘U’ in ‘mouth’, and to use spaces between the letters in the words ‘tail’.

              For showing the cattiness of cat in action perhaps, the poet has used the word ‘mouse’ upside down. This suggests that the cat has just killed the mouse whose dead body is lying down behind it.

              Since the chief concern of the poem is to present the physical appearance of the cat having stripes all over the body, the word ‘stripe’ is repeatedly used for the exact representation of the striped cat. That can be the possible pun in the act’s middle strip.

              Discussion Q (1) since the poem is supposed to be the expression of poet’s emotions, feelings and attitudes of life. “Concrete Cat” cannot be considered a poem because it lacks all conventional elements of poetry.

CONCRETE CAT

              “Concrete Cat” is an experimental poem known as “Concrete Poem”. It is drawn by Dorothy Charles. A glimpse of this poem is sufficient to make the reader see the different between traditional poems and the concrete poem. Unlike the given poem, a traditional poem consists of ideas, emotions, feelings and attitudes of the poet towards life and society. Above all, the poet makes use of the figurative language with many literary devices such as alliteration, assonance, metre, metaphors, simile, symbols etc.

              "Concrete Cat" is not like traditional poems because it has included neither figurative language nor ides and emotions. It is a poem made for the eye. Hence the physical appearance of the cat is given the importance. As in other concrete poems, language is reduced to the level of the word. In addition to it, the words are used in a way that once can see the shape of a cat on the paper. For instance, the words such as 'ear', 'eye', 'mouth', 'whisker', 'tail', 'paw'. 'stripes', etc. are used in such a way that one sees the physical appearance of the things they stand for. In order to do so, the poet has rearranged the words in an untraditional manner. Capitalizing 'A' in ear, 'Y' in eye, and 'U', in mouth as well as using spaces between the letters in the word 'tail' indicate the attempts of the poet to create the picture of a cat.

              The given poem makes the readers perceive that the poet of such poems appears to be more an artist than a poet. The other details added in the poem such as the word 'mouse' in upside down position and the word 'dish' in one corner show the 'catness' in action. The pun in the cat's middle stripe is the only place where language aspires towards poetry and becomes figurative. If one is asked the question. Whether one calls such a work of art as poem, one tends to answer that it is a poem from the experimental point of view. Otherwise, one is quick to give the answer in the negative.

OOPS! HOW’S THAT AGAIN

OOPS! HOW’S THAT AGAIN

               “Oops! How’s that Again?” is a humorous essay about bloopers with a great deal of psychological information about such verbal errors. It is written by an American writer, Roger Rosenblatt. The essay deals with different types of errors and psychological causes from such errors and types of laughter.

              While illustrating the errors, the writer divides them into slips of the tongue, mistranslation, bloopers and spoonerism and faus pas. He cites number of examples for each type of the error committed by celebrities. A slip of the tongue refers to the verbal error which is relatively a minor error that takes place in course of conversation. He gives some of the instances when the great personalities like Nancy Regan, France’s Prime Minister Raymond Barre and Businessman Peter Balfour etc. committed such errors. As for mistranslation, the writer explains that such errors result when different expressions are translated from one language into another. For instance, the slogan “Come Alive with Pepsi” was translated in German as “Come Alive out of the Grave with Pepsi”. Germany’s President Heinrich Lubke is one more example as a person known to have committed this type of error. Bloopers are embarrassing errors made in public. The writer gives the example of Radio Announcer Harry who announced the name of Herbert Hoover as Heaver on the radio. Spoonerisms are the errors committed when the syllables of the words get replaced with one another.

              The writer presents the explanations given by psychologists and linguistics. Victoria From kin of the linguistics department at U.C.L.A. regards slips as clues about how the brain stores and articulates language. She believes that thought is placed by the brain into a grammatical framework before it is expressed. Freud removed the element of accident from language with his explanation of slips as being the result of the operations of unconscious wishes. A psychiatrist, Richard suggests that the incorrect words exist in associative chains with correct ones known as a kind of ‘dream pair’. Errors result when incorrect word is articulated Psychoanalyst Ludwig suggests that a slip of tongue involves the entire network of id, ego and superego.

              The writer points out different reasons for laughter at such mistakes. One of the reasons is that conventional discourse is so predictable and boring that any deviation comes as delightful relief. Another reason is our meanness. It makes us laugh to see the embarrassment of the miss peaker, similarly the most charitable and optimistic thoughts of the blunderer cause kindly laugh. For instance, Gerald Ford’s famous error in 1976 that Poland was not under Soviet domination showed his optimistic thought about Poland’s freedom in future and it caused a pleasant laugh. Sometimes the bizarre mistakes disclose a whole new world of logic and possibility. This also causes laughter which is the most interesting one. Finally there is sympathetic laugh that sees into the essential nature of a slip of the tongue with a perfect understanding.

MALINI

MALINI

              Malini is a poetic play composed by a Bengali Indian poet, writer and philosopher. Rabindranath Tagore. It is a story of love and hatred. The play deals with a conflict between love and hatred as well as selfish way of thinking and broadmindedness. It is based on the concept that Love in its absolute and pure form is all radiance, all pervading, and all compassionate. They play also shows that petty selfishness assumes the name of love and rules the world with hatred.

              According to the story of the play, Malini, the princess, happens to be influenced by Buddhist way of thinking. As the result of the influence, she emerges as the embodiment of LOVE, PEACE and COMPASSION. This has an adverse effect upon the people following the ancient creeds and dogmas. These people under the leadership of a conservative thinker, Kemankar, demand for the banishment of the princess. Although Kemankar's intimate friend Supriya does not approve the idea of banishment, he is obliged to give his consent.

              Some of the Brahmins, who are the followers of Kemankar, are shocked to hear the support of the army in their agitation. They feel that it smells of rebellion and suggest that they should have victory through their faith. After that, they start invoking the Goddess of their faith. Just then, Malini makes her entrance with a determination to accept the banishment.

              Her appearance has a strange effect upon the people. Although they mistake her for the Goddess of their faith in the beginning, soon they perceive the fact. However, they turn into her followers because of her radiant love, peace and compassion. Kemankar and Supriya are left behind. The former declares his intention of visiting Kashi for the army to attack the kingdom that belongs to Malini's father. Although Supriya appears to be skeptical about the blind faith of Kemankar, soon he is motivated by his friend.

THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN

THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN

              "The Six Million Dollar Man" is a memorable essay written by Harold J. Morowitz, who is also a scientist. In this essay, he tries to make the specialized knowledge of science clear and engaging to non-specialist. Through this essay, the author reveals the complexity of the human body and amazing aspects of its creation. He seems to suggest that the human being is priceless.

               He makes us draw a philosophical conclusion in the infinite preciousness of each person. The explanations given to have such conclusion are highly convincing. The author moves step by step, preparing the readers for the grand philosophical conclusion. He shifts his subject. He starts the essay by talking about the human body and ends up by talking about the human being.

              The essay begins with a greeting sent to him by his daughter and son-in-law. It is found to have a caption with the information about the worth of the human body according to biochemists. The author becomes eager to read that its worth is only 97 cents. In order to verify the truth, he lists all the ingredients of the human body such as hemoglobin, human DNA etc. with the prices per gram.

“ON THE VANITY OF EARTHLY GREATNESS”

“ON THE VANITY OF EARTHLY GREATNESS”

               “On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness” is a modern poem written by an American poet, Arthur Guiteman. It is a flawless poem, which shows the remorselessness of time and the vanity of human greatness.

              Through this poem, the poem announces his philosophy of life or outlook that all those entities that symbolize earthly grandeur, greatness and power such as the tusks of mastodons, the sword of Charlemagne the Just, the Grizzly bear, Great Caesar etc will be reduced in course of time into things of non-entity.

              The presentation of subject matter is quite ironical. Without using the negative words, the poet turns the things of earthly greatness into mere showpiece and nothingness. Each sentence is well balanced with splendid things in place of subject being linked up with worthless objects at the other end. Each sentence of the poem brings out the image of balance with a grand figure on the side and cipher on the other side. The irony is obvious when the readers notice the tusks transformed into billiard balls, the sword of Charlemagne into rust, the grizzly bear into rug etc.

              One can trace out the signs of vanity in the last couplet where the poet admits that he does not feel so well himself in the presence of Great Caesar’s bust on the shelf. This implies that even the poet is not a exception because to some extent he also seems to suffer from vanity complex of greatness.

“THE GARDENER”

“THE GARDENER”

- By Kipling

              The Gardener is the story to be read in between lines. It is written by Rudyard Kipling. It is a well-written story with such a great craftsmanship and surprise ending that the readers find it necessary to go through the second reading and make readjustment in the relation between one and the other character. In other words, the end of the story acts as a switch back to the beginning of the story of the re-reading.

              The story deals with the life of Michael who is said to have been the child of unmarried couple George Turell, an Inspector of Indian police and the daughter of retired non-commissioned officer. It is said that George Turell died of a fall from a horse in India a few weeks before Michael was born. After that, s admitted by George’s sister Miss Helen Turell, who had been to south of France for her lung trouble took the charge of the child. The baby was brought to her hometown from India. Later she took the whole responsibility on her shoulders by cutting all the connection with the mother and the non-scandals would only increase if one tried to hush them up. She vowed that the boy resembled his father George all over. She also explained to the public that the boy could cal her ‘Mummy’ if it delighted him. Michael was provoked to see the things made public and declared that he would dies soon. However they were instantly reconciled with tears as their attachment was not skin-deep.

              Although he was disturbed to know that his status was not regular due to his birth, he recovered that balance. He decided not to talk of it with Helen any more for it would make her cry. Later the war began and he was directly enlisted in the army, which was a great shock to Helen. In the battle-field while writing a letter to Helen, he was killed by a Shell-Splinter and his body lay covered by a barn wall that was laid down by another shell. With his death, her world stood still having no concern to her. Later she got an official intimation about Michael’s body being found, identified and re-interred in Hagenzeele third Military cemetery.

              She set for the cemetery, on the way a stolid, plain-feature English woman volunteered to come with her. The woman, Mrs. Scars forth, was visiting the place for the ninth time. She would visit may graves, which were commissions. Yet she confessed to Helen that she had come there to visit a particular grave. After that Helen looked for the tomb of Michael. A gardener came to help for while looking at her with infinite compassion. To the surprise of the readers, he told her that she would show her where her son was lying.

              The mysterious presence of the gardener in the graveyard reminds readers of Jesus Christ and makes them feel that it was Him. His words induce the readers for the second reading and help them find out that a great deal of information about Michael was supplied by Helen for which there was no evidence. Her so-called visit to France, death of her brother with a son being born in India, her deep attachment with Michael and above all, her attempts to over-expose their relation throw the light on the hidden aspect of the story. In the end, readers find Helen emerging as another Madonna, the mother of Jesus Christ.

“ESSAY ON THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY”

“ESSAY ON THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY”

              The position of women in Nepal is found to have differed from one generation to another. In days of yore, they were given the subordinate treatment in spite of the respect given to mothers and sisters. The ruling class regarded them as a mere thing to yield pleasure to men. They were deprived of education because the guardians did not think it necessary. they were considered as the machines to serve the man and bear children to him. There used to be Sati System in which the wives of the dead husbands had to burn alive on the same funeral pyres where the dead-bodies were placed. Gradually with every decade that passed away, the outlook towards women changed bringing about the improvement in their situation.

              As a result, presently they are equal to men in every walk of life. In the field of education, they have proved that they can be second to none. They have been successful as men in every profession. One can cite thousands of examples of women being the lead as doctors, engineers, lecturers, etc. The new constitution of Nepal has granted equal status to them. If they are given unfair treatment on account of their sex, they can invoke the law of the country for justice. The Government is supposed to preserve their fundamental rights. Like men, they can have property in their names. Gone are the days when they were treated as slaves.

              Unfortunately, they are still victimized in the conservative circles. In respect of their right for legal inheritance, they are found lagging behind. The representative-body of parliament has not yet suggested any solution to this achievement. Undoubtedly, the day will come in Neal when parents count their daughters on the same footing as their Sons.

Write in one sentence of the summary

1. My Heart Leaps up When I Behold

              The poem “My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold” is about the joy the poet feels at the sight of rainbow which has been source of his ecstasy since his childhood and will continue to be so till his old age. 

2. Speaking of Children

              One child is appendage and the parents can be privacy and proper guidance of the child whereas the plural children are the end of privacy and the beginning of the obligations.

3. Look at a Teacup

              The writer, who has decided to remain unmarried fearing disintegration, inherits china cups from her mother which were bought in 1939 and they have the pictures of falling flowers, which are significant and symbolical.

4. A Worn Path

              “A Worn Path” is the story of an old Negro woman, Phoenix Jackson, who undertakes a long hazardous Journey up to the town to fetch medicine for her grandson suffering from throat infection.

5. The Poplar Tree

              The poem “The Poplar Field” is the lamentation of the poet over the destruction of The Poplar Field that once provided shade, whispering sound, cool wind and melody of birds.

6. The Nightmare Life without Fuel

              The essay “The Nightmare Life without Fuel” is a hypothetical situation in America during the late 1990s when dwindling fuel resources have pushed the developed nation towards the pre industrial state of 1800s.

7. Unchopping a Tree

              However hard we try and succeed in unchopping a tree by using tackle and scaffolding, it will not be as strongly held as it used to be before chopping the tree and restoring things to their former state is literally impossible.

8. Keeping Things Whole

              In spite of the fact that the presence of one thing in the absence of to her is an unavoidable situation the poet is determined to move for keeping things whole.

9. Concrete Cat

              The poem “Concrete Cat”, being an example of a concrete poem presents the word picture of a striped cat with raised tail, upside-down mouse by real feet and whisker around the mouth showing its catness in action. 

10. The Gardener

               “The Gardner” is the story dealing with the dual relationship between Helen Turell and Michael Turell as aunt and nephew on the one hand and on the other hand the unmarried mother and illegitimate son who gets killed in the battlefield.

11. On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness

              Through the poem “On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness”, the poem announces his outlook by saying that all the things of earthly grandeur and power will be reduced in the end into things of non entity.

12. Malini

              Being the story of love and hatred, the poetic play “Malini” presents the character Malini, the embodiment of love who wins the hearts of people demanding for her banishment in contrast to other character Kenanker, the conservative man of hatred who rewards his well-wisher Supriya with death.

13. “Oops! How’s That Again”

        The Essay “Oops! How’s ! That Again” gives a humorous account of tongue slips, spoonerisms and mistranslation with psychological explanations for such mistakes and the reason for our laughter to hear them.

14. The Six Million Dollar Man

              The essay “The Six Million Dollar Man” is an interesting and scientific evaluation of each human being as infinitely precious and priceless although the dry weight of the human body costs 245.54 dollars a gram and six million dollars for the person having 24, 436 grams of dry weight.

15. In the Bed

              The essay “In Bed” gives the elaborate description of migraine headaches with the touch of author’s personal experience that ranged over irritation in the beginning, acceptance in the middle and the habit of stoic endurance.

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The Boarding House

Grade 12 Compulsory English

The Boarding House

(Q) How do you think Mrs Mooney settled with Mr. Doran about Polly? Did Mr. Moran marry Polly or pay out compensation? 

                                      or

(Q) Sketch the character of Mrs. Mooney.

Mrs. Mooney, the main character in the James Joyce story “The Boarding House” is described as "a woman who deals with moral problems as a cleaver deals with meat". She was a butcher’s daughter who married her father’s foreman. Later she divorced him because she could not withstand his drinking and bullying nature. Taking charge of her daughter Polly and son Jack, she opened a boarding house in Hardwicke Street. She was strong, strict, determined and practical. She knew how to handle matters- when to act and when to remain silent.

When reading further in the story, we find that the boarding house is a trap, where Mrs. Mooney is a hunter who's looking for a decent husband for her daughter Polly within her guests. She is using Polly as bait to catch Mr. Doran, the victim in the story. Mrs. Mooney manipulates Mr. Doran into her trap by using her daughter's innocence as the bait and Mr. Doran's innocence as a victim. Mrs. Mooney is a woman of business and Mr. Doran is the perfect victim for her and for Polly. Mr. Doran has also a decent job and he fits perfectly to the economical needs of Mrs. Mooney. Mrs. Mooney also uses their society and religion as a tool to cause Mr. Doran marrying her daughter. She knows that her victim is a religious man, who lives in the religious culture of Dublin that obeys to the rules of the church. He is afraid of the church and he is afraid to lose his job in the Catholic wine merchant office. Thus Mr. Doran had no other option than marrying Polly. Mrs. Mooney is like a watchdog that watches that the prey will not run out of the trap, but will run into it.

(Q)Write an interpretation of 'The Boarding House'.

or

(Q) Briefly narrate the story of "The Boarding House"

-After a difficult marriage with a drunken husband that ends in separation, Mrs. Mooney opens a boarding house to make a living. Jack, her son and Polly, her daughter live with her in the house, which is occupied by clerks from the city, as well as occasional tourists and musicians. Mrs. Mooney runs a strict and tight business and is known by the lodgers as “The Madam.” Polly, who used to work in an office, now stays at home at her mother’s request, to amuse the lodgers and help with the cleaning. Surrounded by so many young men, Polly ultimately develops a relationship with a rich thirty five years old Mr. Doran. Mrs. Mooney knows about the relationship, but instead of sending Polly back to work in the city, she monitors its developments. Polly becomes increasingly uncomfortable with her mother’s lack of intervention, but Mrs. Mooney waits until “the right moment” to intercede. First she speaks awkwardly with Polly, then arranges to speak with Mr. Doran on a Sunday morning.

Mrs. Mooney looks forward to her argument which she intends to “win” by defending her daughter’s honor and convincing Mr. Doran to offer his hand in marriage. Waiting for the time to pass, Mrs. Mooney figures the odds are in her favor, considering that Mr. Doran, who has worked for a wine merchant for thirteen years and gained much respect, will choose the option that least harms his career.

Meanwhile, Mr. Doran is in distress. He knows he will be called by Mrs. Mooney. He reviews the difficult confession to his priest that he made on Saturday evening, in which he was harshly accused for his romantic affair. He knows he can either marry Polly or run away, the latter an option that would ruin his sound reputation. Convincing himself that he has been tricked, Mr. Doran bemoans Polly’s unimpressive family, her ill manners, and her poor grammar, and wonders how he can remain free and unmarried. In this vexed moment Polly enters the room and threatens to end her life out of unhappiness. In her presence, Mr. Doran begins to remember how he was trapped by Polly’s beauty and kindness, but he still hesitates about his decision.

Uneasy, Mr. Doran comforts Polly and departs for the meeting, leaving her to wait in the room. She rests on the bed crying for a while, neatens her appearance, and then nestles back in the bed, dreaming of her possible future with Mr. Doran. Finally, Mrs. Mooney interrupts the daydream by calling to her daughter. Mr. Doran, according to Mrs. Mooney, wants to speak with Polly.

The Children Who Wait Marsha Traugot

Grade 12 Compulsory English

The Children Who Wait Marsha Traugot

(Q) Whom does Marsha Traugot refer to as the children who wait?

                                            or

(Q) Why was it difficult for the handicapped and the black children to find foster family?

                                           or

(Q) According to Traugot , what changes are transforming the American adoption scene? What factors are responsible for the changes? 

                                            or

(Q)What kinds of parents were considered suitable for adopting children? What kind of children were considered 'Unadoptable'? 

                                           or

(Q) How do the adoption agencies find the potential parents?

                                           or

(Q) What had happened to the handicapped children in the past?

Marsha Traugot's essay "The children Who Wait" discusses the scene of adoption in American context.

Marsha Traugot begins her essay with the picture of Tammy, which has been published in a magazine with the hope that someone would be ready to adopt her. She is five and half years old with the face of Mona Lisa. The writer describes her unadaptable child had she been born before 1960. During that period only white healthy children were considered adaptable. Physically deformed children’s were referred as damaged goods. No one was ready to adopt such children. 

The children who were black, mixed racial group, handicapped and over five years were not adopted by families. This view, however, started disappearing after the sixties. People’s attitude towards them gradually became positive. The change in thoughts was brought by various factors. Traugot mentions black civil right movement, legalization of abortion, change in attitude of the people, and change in government's policy as responsible factors. Black civil rights movement brought sympathetic attitude towards black people. White people started regarding them as humans and treated accordingly. Another responsible factor was women's movement. Because of women’s movement they got right to decide on the matter of childbirth in addition to other right. The lady who had to do abortion to maintain her status could live with dignity with her child. It has the impact in reduction of unwanted children. 

The third factor responsible for change in attitude was government's policy towards adoption. The government used to emphasize on foster care before the seventies. As they became aware about the drawbacks of foster care, they made changes in their policy. Rater than emphasizing on foster care, they tried to find permanent home for the homeless children. Another factor responsible is the role played by social activists. Their campaign brought changes not only in attitude of the people but also in their behavior. Prior to the 1960, the social activists considered white, two parent, and middle or upper class childless family as an ideal adoptive family. But now the situation has changed. The social workers give children for adoption to even single or two parents, black or biracial, upper class or working class, childless or families with older siblings. 

The catch phrase of the social worker is ‘matching’. Activists try to get proper family for destitute child. Unlike previous activists, they can't get two-parent family. Instead of searching for two-parent family, they need to evaluate the characteristic of a child and match it with the proper family. Now adoption agencies collect the lists of parents who want to adopt child. They match qualities of children with the need of parents, let both of them meet and interact. They even hold meetings and discuss about the children and the types of families where they can put them. Now adoption agencies collect the lists of parents who want to adopt child. They match qualities of children with the need of parents, let both of them meet and interact. If this system does not work, they publish the profile of homeless children in television or newspaper to look for adoptive parents.

The Tell-Tale Heart

Grade 12 Compulsory English

The Tell-Tale Heart

(Q)Why does narrator develop intense hatred against the old man? Would you call the narrator mad? Give reasons for your answer. 

                         or

(Q)What made the narrator confess his crime? 

                        or

(Q) Describe the scene when the narrator killed the old man

                        or

(Q) What made the narrator confess his crime?

Summary:

The narrator claims that he is not mad as he could hear things in the heaven, earth and hell. To justify himself saint, he confesses dangerous crime he has committed.

The narrator and the old man used to reside together; they had very good relationship. The man used to love the old man very much. The old man also used to treat him well. The only thing that irritated the narrator was the eyes of him which were pale and vulture like. To end the consequences, he went to the old man's room continuously for seven days. But returned, as he could not see the eyes of the man. In the morning he spoke politely and behaved as if nothing had happened. On the eighth nights, he as usual went there with torchlight. He did every thing stealthy and cautiously. Despite it, he happened to touch tin fastening, which dropped and disturbed the sleep of the man. In desperation, he asked who it was. The narrator remained speechless and motionless. A little later his sense brought him the reason that the old man was asleep again, he aimed the beam towards the old man's eyes. As he saw them, he grew angry. He then, jumped towards the man, dragged the man and pressed his neck with bed. At last, he dismembered the old man's dead body and put it under the plank. After it, he cleaned the place spotlessly clean. It was already four when he finished the task. At four, the three policemen came because someone had heard a shriek and informed them to investigate. The narrator lied them that the shriek was his own in dream and the old man was absent for some days. He welcomed them, brought them to his room and took to every nook and corner of his house. The policemen didn't suspect any wrong there. The narrator took them to the spot where he had hidden the corpse of the old man. He cordially asked them to sit on the chair, which he had kept there. He sat there just over the plank whereas policeman continued talking with smiling face. The narrator, at the mean time, heard tick-tick sound of a watch coming from beneath. He mistook it as the heart-beat of the old man. He desired to reduce the loudness of the sound. For this purpose, he spoke louder; though it didn't do any good. He felt the sound growing; he felt the policemen’s smile as the smile of mockery. It became unbearable for him to keep the reality secret. He thought it better to confess than to hide. Eventually he confessed the crime.

(Q)Was the narrator mad?

Though sanity and insanity is a matter of debate, there are various indications in the story that suggest his madness. The narrator killed an old and innocent man with out any concrete reason. He did not hesitate to cut the body of the old man into pieces. Though the man loved him, he did not understand the value of love. Rather he mercilessly killed him. Even after killing and dismembering the body of the old man, he suspected that the old man’s heart was beating. He had no idea that after a man is killed his heart stops beating. The narrator has revealed himself that he is suffering from a disease which causes ‘over-acuteness of the senses’. Over-acuteness of senses is also one sign of madness. He was overcome by homicidal mania. Madmen never repent their wrong doing. In this story also instead of repenting for his wrongful act, the narrator has tried to prove his sanity. Thus his abnormal behavior suggests that he was truly mad.

A Child Is Born

Grade 12 Compulsory English

A Child Is Born

Theme

‘A child is Born’ by Germaine Greer discusses on the matter of childbirth and childcare. She shows the differences in between the rich technocratic Western society and the poor traditional Eastern society on the subject of pregnancy, childcare and child rearing. She is of the opinion that the Eastern society is better in comparison to Western society. In the Eastern society, the pregnant woman feels secure in pre-natal as well as post natal activities. This is hardly found in the Western society.

Summary:

Childbirth management in the Eastern society varies from place to place. The mother is familiar about the way of giving birth to child in such society because they are used to in such customs. They don't feel so much physical and mental tension while giving birth. The approach in Eastern society is ritualistic. She is covered with taboos and prohibitions which reduces her psychological burden. All the relatives including the husbands remain present during the process of giving birth. It decreases the pain of the mother. Their presence gives a sense of security to her. 

They create such an environment which make mother feel safe. Nevertheless, the chance of death of mother is high in Eastern society. In many of the Eastern societies, a pregnant woman goes to her mother's house. For example: the writer presents us an example from society of India. In Rajput society, the woman goes to mother's house prior to giving birth and after the birth to the child. She is taken care properly. The birth of the child is celebrated with singing and dancing. The pregnant woman is taken care not only by family members but also by the members of the community. It gives her a sense of security and she becomes less worried about giving birth. There is difference in child rearing also. In the Eastern society the mother gets respect after she gives birth. She is called by the name of her first child. The newly born child is taken care by all the relatives. The mother has to spend less time in taking care of child. So, the child-family relation is stronger than child-mother relation. Thus, the Eastern society is better than the Western society in the matter of childbirth and childcare. The Eastern society, however is not unaffected by the method of Western society.

Because of modernization, people in the Western societies are forced to use modern equipments. The modern equipments certainly have saved the lives of mother and child; nevertheless they are unable to reduce the anxiety of mother while giving birth. A pregnant woman in the West has to take care of herself with the guidance of nurses and doctors. The nurses and doctors do not give caressing hand to the pregnant woman. The health of mother and child is safer but mother is emotionally weaker. Child is born to fulfill the needs of parents only. The child grows up with its parents and dolls. So, child - mother relation is stronger. The mother has to bear all the problems during child birth and child rearing.

Hurried Trip To Avoid a Bad Star

Grade 12 Compulsory English

Hurried Trip To Avoid a Bad Star

(Q)  How is Karnali linked economically with the low land regions to the south?

-Geographically, Karnali lies to the northern part of our kingdom. As it is made up of very sloppy hills, there are many problems. People do not have transportation and other facilities for their better survival. There is no sufficient cultivable land. So, they have to depend on the lowland regions to the south.

People of karnali cannot sell their products in their localities. To sell their items like medicinal herbs, silajit, hashish, hand-knit sweaters and blankets, they have to go to Nepalgunj. Similarly, they cannot buy goods in their places. For this purpose also, they have to depend upon lowland regions. People of Karnali have to depend upon lowland region for their jobs also. Being undeveloped part, it does not have factories. To earn livelihood, young people have no better options than leaving their places and working in the lowland region.

(Q)What did the two writers learn about the life and culture of the people of the Karnali region during their journey on foot?

- ‘Hurried Trip to Avoid a Bad Star” is written by American geographers M. Lilla and C. Bishop Barry. Their essay presents social, economic and educational aspects of Karnali region. To present these aspects, they have brought four events in the text- their meeting with a chhetri woman and the people processing silajit, and their encounter cutting down trees and the people of Karnali buying and selling things. The two writers learnt that the people of Karnali are innocent, simple, laborious and uneducated. Their world is narrow and limited. The Chhetri woman asks the travelers to find her husband and send him to the village. They live in geographically difficult part completely depending on their own or animal strength. They are ignorant about soil erosion and deforestation. Not only that, alcohol consumption in Karnali region is high because one of the porters buys distillery equipments in the bazaar of Nepalgunj. He hopes that he would sell liqueur and earn enough money to buy goods in Karnali.

Travelling Through the Dark

Grade 12 Compulsory English

Travelling Through the Dark

 

Summery

 

William Stafford's poem "Traveling Through the Dark" examines the killing of a pregnant doe by a hit-and-run driver, and the dilemma faced by the speaker who is also a driver. People generally travel in the dark when there is some urgency or when they have some immediate destination to reach. Speaker is traveling in the dark with some special purpose. So he is in a hurry. On his way he finds a dead deer on the edge of Wilson River. He stops to drag off the dead deer into the canyon in order to avoid possible accidents. But on touching her side he finds that it is still warm and it contains a fawn waiting to be born. In death the traveler discovers life, but not normal life that emerges from the womb into the world, for the fawn is "never to be born." This unhappy realization causes the traveler to hesitate. His mind is filled with mixed-up emotions: pity, anger, frustration, and confusion about how to act. He even wonders if the fawn can be saved, but knows all along that the fawn can not be born when the mother is dead. The car is mechanically alive and its lights are pointing the speaker towards his destination. In the final couplet the traveler thinks hard for all, he knows that his love and pity towards the fawn can not save it. He knows that his delay is only a waste of time, so he pushes the doe into the river and marches towards his destination.

(Q) Explain the title of the poem. Who are all those driving through the dark?

The title of the poem “Traveling Through the Dark” is very suitable one. People generally travel in the dark when there is some urgency or when they have some immediate destination to reach. So, the speaker of this poem is traveling in the dark with some special purpose. But when he finds a dead doe on the road, he is in dilemma. He is in confusion either to show deep love and emotion to an unborn but alive fawn in the belly of the doe or to save the passengers on his car as a dutiful driver. After much thoughtful meditation, he pushes the dead doe into the river in order to reach his destination and save the passengers. The ‘darkness’ indicates One of nature's beautiful creatures has been killed and pitilessly left on the road, unburied and unmourned to cause future accidents. The driver's inaction suggests moral darkness. The darkness also suggests the narrator's confusion about what to do with the deer. "Traveling through the dark" also symbolizes the spiritual void of humankind in its insensitivity toward nature.

(Q) How does the boy, the narrator, look at his uncle and his aunt 

                                           or 

        Describe the relation between Thomas (the boy's uncle) and his wife.

The narrator, the boy, thinks that the relationship between his uncle and aunt was not so good. He describes that every Saturday night, his uncle would lift his wife on to the chair and she would beat him on his head with the china dog. The readers realize that the relationship between them was good. Her beating Thomas was an act of playful marital activity. Though the uncle and aunt were quite contrary in behaviors and temperament, they loved each other very much. She did not like Thomas’s drinking habit, so she was against his outing program. On such occasions she would go to her mother’s house. When she went to her mother’s home, she left a note asking him to eat eggs from the pantry and to go to bed taking his shoes off. On Sundays she would not allow him to play checkers.

(Q) The plan was to go to Porthcawl for the outing. Did they ever reach here? Why?

- Thomas and his friends planned to go to Porthcawl for the outing. But they never reached there because the narrator has revealed very early in the story that ‘they never reached Porthcawl’. Similarly there are various indications that suggest that they never reached Porthcawl. The internal intention of Thomas and his friends’ outing was to get drunk, merry make and release themselves from the burden of life. In the name of outing, they wanted to enjoy by drinking and playing cards. This clearly can be seen when they carry twenty cases of ale (alcohol) for the outing. As soon as they started their journey, they stopped at the public house and got heavily drunk. They stopped at several public houses and got drunk. On their way, they stopped at the river and joked and teased each other splashing water to each other. The moon was already up, so they drove towards their home. On the way they sat down in a circle in the field and started drinking remaining cases of alcohol.

I Have a Dream

Grade 12 Compulsory English

I Have a Dream

Summery

Martin Luther King, a black civil right campaigner, delivered an unforgettable speech " I Have a Dream" on August 28, 1963 commemorating the centennial of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. In this speech he presses for equal treatment and improved circumstances for blacks, and stresses on the necessity of eradicating institutional racial inequalities. King expresses sharp dissatisfaction over segregation and racial discrimination. He demands a fast end to racial discrimination, pledging his followers to a fight to the finish to wipe out all forms of segregation and to achieve equality and integration. However, he is in favour of creative and disciplined protest without physical violence. In his speech he even appeals the Whites to join hands with Blacks in order to revolt against discriminatory practices against Blacks. He does not show hatred against Whites, he is against color discrimination and racial prejudice.

He is a dreamer with the vision of equality and justice. He wants a new America in its social makeup, establish symphony of brotherhood among blacks and whites, and eradicate the discriminatory treatment of black Americans. His dream is deeply rooted in the American dream of 'life, liberty and pursuit of happiness'.

He voices that even after hundred years of passing of Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln, America stands as the hell to the blacks. Blacks are exiled in their own country and live in poverty in the vast ocean of material prosperity.

He also mentions the words of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence which guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. But these magnificent words were not applied into practice in case of colored citizens. He demands the riches of freedom, security of justice, and citizenship rights to the blacks. He argues that the policy of gradualism in the matter of justice will raise discontent among blacks.

About Love

Grade 12 Compulsory English 

(Q) What kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin in "About Love"?

- In "About Love" , three kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin. The first one is the love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya. Their love is sensual, often violent. Though there is no understanding between them, sexual passion binds them. Their love is not bound by marital relation. The second love affair is between Alyohin and a girl when he was studying in the university. Though Alyohin loved her, she thought love as a way to earn money. This love affair can be seen as the ugliest where sex is exchanged with money. The third love affair between Alyohin and Anna Alexeyevna can be termed as unexpressed love or spiritual love. Their heart meet, but being trapped by middle class morality, their love remains unexpressed. They sacrifice their love for more good. Alyohin sacrifices his love because he thinks that it would bring disaster in the life of her children, mother and husband. Similarly, Alexeyevna does not express her love thinking that she wasn't young enough to live with him.

(Q) Character sketch of Alyohin.

Alyohin, a bachelor and a university graduate, lived in Sofinyo working labourously in his farm. He had to work in his farm to pay the debt that his father had spent on his education. He desired a civilized living of the upper class but could not afford it. In the past while he was a university student, he fell in love with a girl who only loved his money. Since he was elected honorary justice of the peace, he often visited town to take part in assizes and sessions. Once he was invited to the home of Luganovich to dine. There he met Anna Alexeyevna , aged 22 and married to Luganovich. They fell in love with each other but could not express their love. They chatted for hours, went to the theatre together but they parted coldly the next time. Later Anna suffered from nervous prostration and was sent to Crimea for treatment. During her departure, Alyohin had courage to confess his love and kissed her, but had to part with her forever.

Alyohin's vision of love is shaped by his own love affair. He thinks that when people are in love, they ask whether it is honorable or dishonorable, sensible or stupid, and what their love will lead to . For him, this reasoning is the source of dissatisfaction and irritation. He thinks that love is a great mystery. When one is in love, one should start love from higher, without reasoning whether their love is sin or virtue, or whether it brings happiness or unhappiness. According to him to what extent personal happiness counts in love is uncertain, it differs from person to person.

Alyohin is like a squirrel in a cage. He is trapped by reason, middle class morality and poverty. He is a man-of-thought. He fears to express his love to Anna because he is too much thoughtful about society's moral standards. He sacrifices his love thinking that his marriage to Anna Alexeyevna would ruin the lives of her, her children, her mother and her husband. He fears that he could not make her happy in his country house.

(Q) Character sketch of Anna Alexeyevna.

-Anna Alexeyevna is the main female character in the story "About Love". She is a beautiful and charming young lady aged twenty-two. She is married to Luganovich, assistant president of the circuit court and aged over forty. Her marriage to an old man can be seen as the cause of her suffering. Her sexual urge cannot be fulfilled by the man double her age. So, she tries to get emotional fulfillment from Alyohin which later turns into love. She is also trapped in reason. She does not confess her love to Alyohin though she deeply loves him because she fears society's moral standards. She also thought that she was not young and energetic enough for him to begin a new married life. Later she becomes the victim of nervous prostration because of psychological depression and nervousness.

Onomatopoeia: It is the imitation of natural sounds by words. For example, cackle, tin tin, buzz etc. In this poem, 'ding dong' is an example of onomatopoeia. It imitates the sound of the bell which is slow and lingering.

Alliteration: It is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. In 'Full fathom five thy father lies', the repetition of /f/ sound gives it a musical quality. It also reminds us of the flow of the sea.

Assonance: It is the repetition of the vowel sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. It also enhances the singing quality.